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The Fae are a collection of magical creatures that inhabit the Faelands. They range from the bothersome Boggarts to the courts of Winter and Summer to the mighty Trolls. The songs of the House of Ballads only incorporate Fae, the most common being the two courts and Trolls.

Among the Fae there are two main factions: the Winter Fae, which embody the natural decay of all things; and the Summer Fae, which represent growth and rebirth.

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The lesser fae of Brownies, Boggarts and Barghests do not appear to have any type of hierarchy. Some groups of trolls contain Matriarchs which rule over them. The Courts each have their own kings who rule eternally over their people.

The lives of the Fae revolve around nature and are determined by the Great Cycle. The members of both courts don't work like the mortals but they have a function to fulfill as any other such as taking care of the Fountain or being an alchemist. However their role is not considered as a job. They just have to follow their own nature and every time they come back from Esharra, they live again nearly the same way they have lived previously.

The High King is nearly seen as a holy being and rule far from the normal people. The mortals rarely have the privilege to see him.

Three institutions existed before in the West Faelands: the House of Ballads, the House of Valor and the House of the Seasons. The last disappeared long ago for unknowns reasons. Each of these Houses, founded by Ysa the first king, incarnate a particular noble characteristic the Summer fae hold dear:

The House of Ballads - Memory and Knowledge

The House of Valor: the Courage

The House of Seasons: the Understanding of the Great cycle and Harmony.

In the East, the Winter fae had three Houses like their summer cousins: the House of Sorrow, The House of Vengeance and the House of Pride. These Houses represent something as well:

The House of Sorrow - The respect for death and decomposition.

The House of Pride - The pride of the Winter fae and their most manipulative side.

The House of Vengeance - The hate for all being who are not immortal and from the Winter Court.

The court Fae as a whole have some understanding of shops and currency, but this is not consistent among the Fae. For example, Florion is clearly aware of human desire of payment, while Squire Brio is shaky on the matter and the Ysa guards refuse bribes by explaining that they have no use for gold coins. The court Fae all emerge from their Hollow with a role to play, but this is always more of an avocation than a job.

In general, Fae do not participate in mortal society, although there are notable exceptions. Oleyn Cureseeker is recorded in a Lorestone as having "lived among the mortal clans, and bargained with their kind." At least one Fae has joined the moral organization called the Travelers, and has been highly promoted.

Court Fae society is very insular, and interactions are rare, even in areas where Fae and mortal settlements are in close proximity. Only since the beginning of the Crystal War have mortals been invited inside the Summer Fae capital Ysa. There Fae reaction to mortals is mixed, and ranges from patronizing condescension to impatience and hostility. Generally court Fae will become upset if a mortal intrudes in their affairs, although the Fateless One is given rare opportunities to play a part in their society. The court Fae create many magical items, but having no desire for mortal imports, they rarely trade.

Wild Fae are usually hostile towards mortals, and are often seen fighting among themselves. They will also attack court Fae if given the chance. Different species of wild Fae will sometimes cooperate, such as the Brownies who work with a Crudok to hunt.

Their beliefs and way of life relies entirely on what they call 'The Great Cycle', and what we may refer to as the cycle of seasons. The Great Cycle is the eternal renewing of nature, and an endless flow of spirits and magic. As beings of pure magic, their 'souls' go back to this cycle, and they are reborn in a Hollow when their time is due.

The court Fae seem to value balance and order above all else, and their actions are usually guided by tradition and custom. The disruption of court Fae custom breaking into sudden violence has twice resulted in devastating wars, the Withering War and the Crystal War. The Tuatha, having thrown the Cycle into chaos by attacking the Alfar, are regarded as wicked by most of the remaining court Fae. Conni, the Fae gardener of Seawatch in Klurikon, is a rare example of a court Fae who claims to have no role. It is unknown how her lifestyle would be viewed by other Fae.

Fae will not directly interfere with ebb and flow of nature, although they will sometimes act to repair damage and restore balance through an agent, as seen in the interaction between the Fateless One and Calovar in the Centuries Bloom quest.

It is unclear whether wild Fae practice religion, although Boggarts are seen converging around various shrines. It appears a Kollossae missionary named Diodores attempted to convert a troll to worshiping Ethene, but to no avail.

Because the souls of the Fae are immortal and they are newly reborn every time they die, they follow a close pattern in their lives, called the Ballads. Each ballad tells the story of the life of the Fae, with one or more specific individuals as a main character. The Fae live by these Ballads, and fulfill them each time they are reborn.

Their knowledge is kept in Lorestones, and isn't written, but is revealed by touch, directly spoken into to 'reader's' mind.

The history of the court Fae was drastically altered during the events of the Crystal War. The six Great Houses were either deeply changed or destroyed.

The House of Ballads is reborn, having faced the intrusion of a mortal, and the first change in the telling since the beginning of the House.

The House of Valor has been usurped by a mortal champion, and the remaining Fae loyal to the House are exiled living in the wilds, many having fallen to a disease of madness.

Tie House of Seasons has mysteriously vanished.

The House of Sorrows, after suffering a schism and ultimate betrayal, has no surviving members. Cydan, the former prince, seems uninterested in returning to the throne, claiming his duty is to the Winter Fae as a whole. He now leads the remnants of uncorrupted members of the Houses of Pride and Vengeance.

The House of Pride has reluctantly allied with mortals, anticipating their victory in the war.

The Houses of Vengeance faces defeat and annihilation. The majority of the House allied with the Tuatha, and have fallen into madness and ruin following the defeat of Tirnoch.